The Dalla Incident
by Catboytrades
Summary: This takes place in a LARP known as Savage. In it you have 4 main races Humans, Orcs, Darkbloods, and Elves that live together in the Lands of Savage. This story is about one such character named Grell Grainstaff.
1. Wind Blows

The Wind Blows.  
(Takes place 5 years before his trip to Dragon's Ridge)

It had been a cold winter and the darkblood hunched close to the fire that had been set by the other travelers outside the city. They had urged him to move close to the fire when he first walked up to the city gates and found that since it was a festival day they would not let anyone in until the late afternoon. He was happy to take the seat besides the others and looked forward to share his own stories about his travels.

He knew that was not going to be so once they saw his horn curving around his head or his clawed hand reaching out to the fire to warm itself.

He was right. The others moved away and found another fire to sit beside. It was cramped for them but they did not wish to sit with the Darkblood traveler.

Grell Grainstaff had seen many battles... both ones he was paid to take part in and ones he took part in to help those in need. He was nearly 6 feet tall and wore black studded leather armor, coarse traveling pants with leather grieves over them and dangling leather straps to protect his shins and feet.

His face was scared and distorted thanks to battle and his darkblood heritage, so he wore a cowel to cover the worst of it on his left side.. except for the tear in the cowel that let his horn curl up around his head. His other horn was just a stump and was carefully concealed by the cowel.

He was just happy that is most devistating flaw was one that was easily hidden... he had terrible eyesight. Close quarters fighting was simple to see... but the farther away the target the blurrier it got. Thankfully for him he had been easy to adapt and bluff himself out of those situations.

" Just a little bit more and the gates will open and I will meet up with whomever sent me the letter. " he mumbled to himself, a nasty habit of his but one that kept him sane. He had worked with a Merc once that had lived alone in the mountains for years learning to hone his skills, and the man was the best in unarmed combat. Yet if you saw him in a grog shop or bar he would sit alone and laugh and sing with shadows and smoke.

The fire was so inviting that he did not notice most of the travelers heading to the gate, nor the position of the sun. It was time.

Standing he stretched and checked himself for any type of looting that may of happened while he was watching the fire and focusing on the past. His longsword, Urd, was strapped to his back and his medium sword, , was hidden behind his cloak, while his money pouch was still at his side. He smiled to himself as he walked towards the gates stiffly, trying to work the cold out of his joints. " Sometimes it is good to be left alone." he muttered to himself as he entered the city.

Dalla was a grand settlement. Nearly 10,000 citizens and 5,000 travelers and merchants called it home. Grell just wanted to meet one of these people, Jal Fellis.

From the note he recieved he could tell Jal was some landowner and he wanted some people off the land. Grell didn't know why he needed to hire a merc to toss people off the land. Hopefully this Jal could tell him.

Finding Jal's office was a bit tricky, there was no real address in Dalla just standing shops and people that talked to others and maybe knew names. He first tried talking to a fruit vendor that looked as bundled up as a villager from the far north mountains, the fruits he suspected were from the southern lowlands or forests. The fruit vendor spoke quietly through chattering teeth that she had heard of the man. Her voice was filled with scorn and asked Grell what he was going to do when he found him. Grell just polietly nodded and asked for some fruit to eat. She advised him to stand back and pulled the fruit for him... since she did not want to contaminate the other fruit. He paid her and moved on.

Nearly every vendor was the same. Telling him how bad Jal was and that Grell should make sure to shake his hand. Grell would always just nod polietly and smile. He did not want to anger the vendors in case he needed something later.

The last vendor he came to smiled at him widely. She was a young darkblood and was selling weapons, armor, and bucklers. " Want to buy a buckler sir? A small shield?" she asked happily as she pulled out a couple of her shields.

Grell smiled and looked over the wares, " I am in the market for one but I am also looking for directions." he picked up a shield and studied the writing on it.

" Buy that and I will give you directions to my heart handsome." she cooed softly. Inwardly Grell heard himself go, " Handsome? Me?" then shook the thoughts away.

" As nice as that sounds I do not need those directions, m'lady. I need the directions to Jal Fellis' office." as he mentioned the name her smile vanished.

" 15 copper... shield and directions to that snake's shop."

He paid her the money and took the shield, securing it to his pack, " now the directions M'lady."

She pointed down the street. " Go 100 paces turn left, then go another 20 paces. His shop is on the right." she then turned her cheek to him. He smiled and leaned in.

" So what time does your shop close?" He asked smiling, " I can take you to."

" I'm married." she snapped and worked on polishing some shields.

Grell found the shop and knocked on the door. As he was rapping his knuckles a second time a kindly old man opened the door. His face looked like well worn leather and he sported a snow white beard that nearly touched his knees which was not so hard since he stooped over. Yet the man looked like he was the kind that would happily buy sweets for the children of the city and tell them stories of old. Why did everyone not like this man.

" Hello young man." the old man smiled, " May I help you"  
Grell smiled, " I am Looking for Jal Fellis, he has a job for me." The old man then nodded, " Come in. I have been expecting you." He stepped back and let Grell walk inside. It was a normal office, filled with papers, parchment, quils, and ink. On the far wall was a map of the region and several small marks near the outter wall of the city. The old man walked to the desk in the middle of the room and sat down, rubbing his back, " Oh dear... my back is not what is was 50 years ago." he then turned and smiled to Grell, " Well like I said in the note was I need some people removed from a piece of land. They haven't paid rent in 3 years and I so wanted them to stay... such nice kids... but I have to let them go... I have another tennant that is willing to pay 2 times the price and the back rent if his son and his new wife can use the home." he looked deeply saddened over this.. his wrinkled face trembling and a hint of moisture in his milky eyes, " I talked to Tom this morning to see if I could get him to move... like I did all this week and the last... even offered to have his family move in with me but he became like always a brute when trying to make him do something he doesn't wanna do."

Grell nodded, " So do you want me to go down and rough him up?" he asked still wondering why this kindly old man needed a Merc like him.  
The old man shook his head, " No... I just want you to go down and explain to him he needs to move... and my offer to move in with me still stands." he reached up and whiped away a tear that was running down his cheek, " I hate doing this to people."

Grell smiled. He really liked this old guy. He understood that he was trying to just do things nicely and it came to send the big bad mean Darkblood down to scare the guy to give up his home until he got his feet back on the ground. " Okay sir.. I will go and talk to him."

The old man smiled, " Thank you, Mr. Grainstaff."

Grell smiled, " Call me Grell, Mr. Fellis."

The old man laughed, " Only if you call me Jal."

Grell was walking down the streets... it was winding down since the early morning festival. Winter was something that was held highly in places like this, where the world seemed a mystery shrouded in Ice for 9 months of the year. The conversation with Jal in his mind and the sneers he got from vendors when he was looking for the man. Still with the map to the house he felt this would be an easy job. One that would fill his money pouch and keep it full for a good month and a half.

He left the city walls and made his way throught the winding paths to a group of homes. He counted to the fifth house and knocked on the door. There was noises inside from a couple.. he could even hear a baby cry in the background... the shuffling of feet to the door. Grell tried to look presentable and stood up straight and smiled... then realized he would probably scare whomever would answer the door anyways and reverted to his normal grumpy self... with a nice smile.

The door opened slightly and a small sky blue eye stared out at him.

" Excuse me." he spoke slowly, trying to sound like a nice person that went door to door selling cleaning supplies and not the large darkblood Merc that he was, " I am here to speak to the man or woman of the house."

The eye disappeared and was replaced by a large hand which opened the door the rest of the way. Standing in the doorway now was a man who looked very angry. He wore heavy leather armor and carried a medium sword in his left hand. " I told Mr. Fellis that we are not moving. He doesn't have the power of god at his disposal."

Grell shook his head, " Mr. Fellis can take the home away if he owns it. Especially if you haven't paid."

The man yelled out loud, " PAID!!!" his body tensed up and the sword raised to level at Grell. Grells hand slipped behind him under his cloak... his fingers resting on his swords hilt. " I paid that bastard with blood... what else does he want?"

" I am sorry." Grell said with a steady voice... thinking about the many ways he could take out the man, if the man tried to kill him. He however did not expect the woman standing behind the man to toss a throwing dagger at him.. catching him in the left shoulder.

The man then made his move as Grell reached with his right arm to pull the dagger out, slashing towards his legs. It was sheer luck that he was able to dodge the swing and tumbled back onto his knees. The fight had been started and Grell really didn't want to kill the man so he called out to him, " Give this up... look he is willing to take you in..let you live with him... just leave so he can make his money back."

The man either didn't hear him or didn't want to listen as he charged him. Grell tossed the dagger out and caught the man in the kneecap... lucky since he had been aming for the shoulder and like always his lousy eyesight made it so ranged weapons were useless in his hands.

" Now please... just leave." he called out.. slipping out two bandages... one for himself and one for the man.

" OVER OUR DEAD BODIES!!!" someone behind him yelled out before bringing something hard and blunt over his left shoulder, making Grell howl with pain. He turned and saw a group of people leaving their homes with clubs, swords, daggers, knives, and every other weapon Grell had seen. He could feel the moment going from bad to worse as he heard more shouting back behind the other man...

" GET HIM!" someone called out, Grell turned to see who it was but his eyesight made it so he could not see who among the crowd had yelled. He however didn't think it mattered since they had surrounded him... and he had no place to run.

( To be continued.....) 


	2. Fire Burns

The Wind Blows.  
Fire Burns.....

" GET HIM!" someone called out, Grell turned to see who it was but his eyesight made it so he could not see who among the crowd had yelled. He however didn't think it mattered since they had surrounded him... and he had no place to run.

Grell pulled out his medium sword, Mugen, and after thinking for a moment he pulled on the shield he had purchased earlier that day. It fit his arm well and the weight felt good there. If this was to be his last stand at least they could say Grell Grainstaff went down fighting.

He smiled and began to laugh out loud... the advancing cowd stopping and watching this crazied man as he seemingly lost his mind against their odds. However Grell simply felt the world change around him... " The Gods are with ye, son." he could hear his mother say. His feet digging into the earth and charging at the group...

Two men rushed him with swords, which Grell easily dodged. These men were not fighters, they were farmers.... people that tilled the land and gave life to those in the city walls. That was to Grell's advantage... so he tried not to fight to kill... but to wound.

The two men regained their composure as Grell dodged their blows and rushed him again. Grell turned and smashed one in the face with the shield while he stabbed into the shoulder of the other... making him drop his sword and fall to the ground in pain. The one he smashed in the face went down as well... he would be out of the fight for now.

" ARRRRG!!" a man bellowed behind him, Grell turned and could see a man carrying a mace in one hand and a hand sythe in the other. This one was at least 3 heads taller than him and had scars covering his body... either a merc or soldier turned farmer... this one could fight and he showed it by bringing the mace down on the shield sending jolt through Grell's arm.

He felt his left arm go numb and limp. Grell tried to lift his arm but found he could not use it... so he had to rely on his right. The man was swinging again... this time the sythe bringing it down on Grell's head, which luck allowed him to parry at the last second and sent the sythe flying out into the crowd.

The large man bellowed again.. this time using both arms to bring the mace down. Grell felt time slow as he tried to make a mad dash under the large man... his limp useless hand dropping the shield and his bare hand slid along the larger man's legs... a rent in the fabric allowed him to touch the man's calf and sent Grell's disease through the man.

The disease ran quick and was quite deadly if not treated. Though since it was well known now that Darkbloods carried this disease you could easily get the drug to counteract the agent from a chemist or passing vendor. Even then the disease left the person in bed for a few days. Unlucky for Grell, the disease didn't spread fast enough and the large man was able to bring the mace down... crushing Grell's legs.

Grell shouted out in pain and rage as he pulled himself forward.. the large man laughing at the sight of the Darkblood pulling himself along the ground. Grell shouted out at the crowd a loud and ancient profanity passed down to him by his father. Yet this was drowned out by the sound of a thunderclap... and the sound of rain falling and soaking the lands.

The crowd all laughed and enjoyed the downpour. Grell just tried to keep himself concious.

He pulled himself on his back and stared up at the sky and felt his body grow cold... it was his time.. and he could feel the world growing dark.

" Sorry mother." he whispered to the nothingness, " Looks like I won't meet you in the light... " Slowly the crowd moved closer and the gleaming blade of a sword came down on him.... then the darkness too him.

**********************************************************************

The pain in his legs, arm, and shoulder told he wasn't dead. He knew this from experience. Granted this didn't mean he wasn't close to death or dying. Again he knew this from experience.

" Do you think he will wake up soon?" he heard a voice squeek out... like she was afraid of saying anything around Grell.

" I don't know... but I am just glad the village didn't kill him." This voice he thought he knew, it was also female... , " It is not his fault that he was tricked to work for that snake."

Grell lifted his right arm.. the only part of his body that did not ache at the moment and let out a cough. " I am awake... " he groaned and opened his left eye... trying to get a hold of where he was.

The light was dim but he could see many weapons and armor on the walls. Shields, bucklers, and boots lined the floors. In the middle of all this he could see his caretakers... the young darkblood woman that sold him the shield... and a younger darkblood girl that now trembled behind her. " Please... don't worry... I won't do anything... " he groaned.. .feel his side ache... then remembered the sword. " What kind of ... * groan* ... guest would I be if I did that?"

The older Darkblood woman walked over to him and checked his bandages, " Don't move.. they nearly killed you... your just lucky that before my husband left us the business I was a healer... you will live.. and in a couple days you will be back to normal." She then narrowed her eyes, " then leave... leave this place.."

Grell looked up into her face with his good eye. " Why did they do this? Mr. Fellis just wanted to move another person in.. he"

" He wants to move us all out... thinks he owns our land because he is a town elder!" She hissed back at Grell. Grell flinched feeling like she had also hit his leg as she yelled at him but it was hard to tell with the pain coursing through his body. " Jal Fellis has taken more lives here than any other tyrant in this corner of the world." She continued, " He even took my Stephen from us... killed him for being the first for saying " No" to moving."

Grell leaned back, " That kindly old man?" he asked her... " He looks like a soft breeze would shatter his bones..."

The woman shook her head, " So that is what it was... he showed you that illusion.. how old did he look? 70? 80?... The "real" Jal Fellis is only 40 years old and keeps most of us under his thumb by force... others by money... The other elders were going to stop him when Jal first started this."

" But he hired dumb Mercs to shut them up.... right?" Grell sighed gazing up at the woman. She didn't have to say anything... he knew it already. " I am sorry... that I am just a dumb Merc... " he groaned before passing out again.

Days passed... Grell found that sleeping in a bed, warm and cozy was not really for him and slipped out and slept on the floor. The woman, whose name was Cleo, would feed him until Grell could use his left arm and walk. Her daughter, Faun, would watch the man and stay back.. she was scared of the large man with the scars and look of danger in his eye.

To repay her for her kindness he got up before the others and grabbed the water buckets and followed a well worn path to the village well and filled the large buckets... carrying them back. Cleo met him at the door and looked very angry, " You should not be up like that... your legs are not fully healed."

Grell smiled and set the water down, " I just wanted to help... I grew up on a farm... and know how to help with household chores." He then turned and grabbed the ax and began splitting wood. " Besides... this helps... a workout for the body... while I think of a way to get back at him."

" Chuck is still sick... didn't get the medicine until two days after you diseased him... you better not go after him."

Grell smiled as he split the wood... feeling the ax slide through the little logs like a knife through butter, " Not him... Fellis."

Cleo shook her head, " And get killed in the process."

He shook his head, " No... at least not yet." He then returned to splitting the logs. Cleo looked on and watched him. Faun watched as well... but through a hole in their wall... not knowing if she should fear the man... wish his death ... or cheer him on.

Cleo moved back into the house and left Grell to finish his task. It wasn't until about mid- day that he stopped and whiped the sweat from his brow. The amount he had cut would supply them for a while... most of the rest of the winter. There would be more... but he wouldn't be there for that.

" Though this is kinda nice." he thought to himself, " Like before mother was sick... " He turned slightly and looked at Cleo's home. It was falling into disrepair and needed someone to fix it. " I could do that." he said out loud and smiled.

" Little early to be thinking about that now isn't it?" a voice chuckled behind him. He spun around and caught sight of a man covered in black cloth.... only his eyes shone through and another that he did not recognize. He was wearing furs and a pair of glasses that kept his eyes from view. He walked with the air that he was used to walking on flower petals, while the man in black acted like a dog following it's master, quick jerking movements of his limbs as he followed the man in furs.

" Who are you?" he asked trying to focus his mind on the situation and not on the fact that when turning he had jarred his leg... causing pain to shoot through it.

" Oh come now Mr. Grainstaff... you know me... I hired you after all." the man smiled while the man in black stayed just inches behind him.

" Fellis.... " Grell growled, " So is this the real you?"

Jal Fellis smiled and bowed, " Yes... I it is." he kept his eyes on Grell and licked his lips like a snake tasting the air. " Now isn't it lovely to see someone that you paid to do a job ... not doing his or her job."

" I am sure he is a he, sir." the man in black sing songingly added to the conversation.

Jal turned to the man and nodded, " Very astute of you to notice that, Valdemar." his voice seemed to linger in the air.. like the smell of death. " Though I knew that.. just making a point." Jal slipped a hand into his fur covered jacket and produced a bag of gold coins, " Now Grell if you do me a favor.. now that you know the truth... will you just dispatch those of this village... so I may have the land?"

Grell looked down at the house... then back at Jal's money. " Why do you want the land?" he asked.

" Land is land... and land is land." Valdemar piped up, " What does a Merc care?"

Jal nodded, " With the money here you could buy land for anyone there... far from here.. .where it is warm." He moved his fingers and caused the coins to jingle in the pouch. " You could even take that woman and her daughter as your own... hell with this money who will say different?" Grell felt a deep anger rise from within him and his grip on the ax tightened.

" Too bad... so sad... " Valdemar pouted before charging Grell, leaping into the air and landing just behind the darkblood. The whole action took less time for Grell to blink and he wondered if the thing with the name Valdemar was human or some true agent of hell. " Looks like another Merc bites the dust." he whispered into Grell's ear. His hands felt cold as the grave and his nails looked like daggers.

Grell twisted his head and caught the creature Valdemar in the head with his horn. Valdemar howled and drove his nails into Grell's back and staggered to the wood pile. Jal Fellis watched this with glee. " You know before this is over.. one of us will be dead... Valdemar... let him be for now." He turned and walked towards the woods...

Valdemar glared at Grell and laughed, " I will be back... and I will get you my no so pretty." Then without warning he chucked a dagger towards Grell... which easily missed him... Grell turned and watched as the girl Faun was standing watching the two men... the dagger imbedded in the doorway. " And your little doll too." He then lept into the trees and was gone.

Grell slowly staggered to the child who ran inside... her mother rushing out... gazing at the dagger in the door and then at Grell's new wound. " Valdemar... shit.. it's his calling card." Grell didn't say anything... something felt wrong... like his body was getting heavier.

" Faun.. .the antitidote... now!!!" she yelled out. The little girl nodded and rushed to the back of the house and grabbed a small bottle and handed it to her mother. She then opened Grell's mouth and poured it in... letting him swallow it. " Please stay here... " she called out to him as he felt his eyes close... and the world growing black again.

( To be continued) 


	3. Water Falls

The Wind Blows.  
Fire Burns.... Water Falls...

Grell woke again in the soft bed in Cleo's home, though this time he was thinking about how he must of looked to anyone watching him. Grell Grainstaff, known in some of the northlands as a Merc that got the job done, kind to women, and ruthless in battle had been saved by a woman twice. Once by healing his body from injuries sustained in a beating he recieved by the mob his first day in the village, the second from a poisoning from a creature known as Valdemar.

" It's pathetic." he groaned.

" No... just bad luck." Cleo sighed as she patted his head with a wet cloth, " And you Grell must have the worst."

He let out a " Ha Ha" and then sat up noticing the pain was no longer in his body.. just a dell ache in his back, " What is that thing? Valdemar?"

Cleo shut her eyes, " He is ... or rather was a man. He worked for Fellis for years and after the first attack on Fellis was mortally wounded. However as they say, the master couldn't let the dog die and used some dark magic to bring the man back... only something else came back... it changed him." Cleo put her hand over her mouth, " There are few of us that have seen him without the coverings... and I must say." She looked like she was going to vomit.

" Look.. if it makes you sick just talking about it then I know I am gonna hate fighting him again." Grell smiled and stretched, " Now what can I do to repay you again, m'lady?" Cleo raised an eyebrow and let out a loud laugh. Grell looked on at her and laughed as well before asking her why they were laughing.

" You remind me of my husband." he wiped away a few tears that began to form at the edges of her eyes, " He would wake up after getting hurt or being sick and ask me the same thing. Silly fool would actually go out and cut wood, get water, or even go to the forge to work on the new shields when he was to be sleeping in bed."

" He must of been a good man." Grell added solomely. Cleo nodded and reached out to Grell hugging him softly. Grell sat there... not knowing what to really do.

Being a Merc ment going from place to place not knowing what the next day would bring. Grell had decieded to not get involved with women because he did not want to have someone following him... worrying about him... waiting for him. Or to have them taken from him.

Cleo looked up at the Darkblood and pulled back slowly, " I'm sorry." her eyes were looking at the floor. Grell felt a new pain inside him and reached out and carressed her cheek.

For a Darkblood she was very beautiful, she could even pass for human if it wasn't for the blue tint to her skin and the two small horns sprouting just above her eyebrows.

" Don't be.." he smiled and rested his hand on her shoulder. She lifted her gaze to his and smiled, " Does this mean I finally can take you to dinner?" he asked her and laughed out loud. She joined him as well.

" Okay but the way you are... you better eat here.. "

**********************************************************************

Grell woke in the middle of the night. He didn't know what he had been thinking before. Cleo was taking little chances to brush against him, to sit near him. Faun watched the whole thing and he wondered if she was angry that her mother was leaning towards this man that had come into their lives nearly a week before. He was begining to think about staying... living there with Cleo and Faun... starting over with his life.

" A dream only." he whispered to himself as he tested his body. It moved at his command.. a bit sluggish but he could fight. Moving from the bed he grabbed his clothes and swords. Then looking down he grabbed the shield he had bought from her, strapped it to his back and walked out the door.

" Thank you for that dream, Cleo." He smiled softly, not knowing that she had heard him and was sobbing softly in her bed. **********************************************************************

Grell snuck into the city, the guards were lax, probably due to the fact that the people were too scared to fight those in power. A couple of guards were even drunk, laughing about how " stupid" those that lived outside the city were. Grell just sauntered up to those men and smiled to them as they watched him smash their heads together... knocking them out.

" Sorry guys but you chose to back Fellis.. and I am here to stop him." He smiled as he checked for their pulses.

" Stop him?" a voice cackled behind him, " Why stop him... if he gets what he wants... he will be around for a long time."

Grell spun around and drew his long sword, Urd, " Valdemar, why does he want those people gone?" The sword felt heavier than normal and he began to silently curse himself for showing up.

Valdemar crouched down and flexed his needle like claws, " Runes are like candy... they taste so sweet... and they can keep things alive... " His danced with an unholy fire behind the mask he wore, " When they dig... they will find.. the runes... and the power!" He tapped his claws against one another, " Granted you will not see this."

Valdemar dashed at him, filling his vision with black death. Grell could see what would happen... the whole battle playing out... his mind wandering away... to a home... a woman. The vision changed... to a man standing over a woman... hitting her... laughing with the stench of booze on his breath... and fire... hot consuming fire!

Grell could never tell anyone what happened during the battle or why he moved as he did. He could see everything. How he lept into the air over Valdemar, slicing through the creature's right hand as it entered the space he had occupied moments before. How the creature turned and slashed wish his good hand and simply caught the shield that hung from Grell's back.

Urd felt light in his hands... and he swung with full force, slicing the creature in half... then pulling Mugen from the sheath from his back and slicing him from groin to the point of his head. At this moment he felt time slowing back down... the world comming back, and his eyes focusing on Valdemar... his body slowly sliding ... falling to the ground motionless. The folds of the cloth wrappings on his body fluttered slightly, exposing his skin and face.

Times in his life Grell would look back on this and feel his skin crawl. The sight of the skin curled and emaciated. Some places were stitched together with cloth and pitch... others were just pieces of jagged metal, but on his forehead was a small clay marker. Grell felt sick as he smelled the foulness spilling from the long dead creature that was Valdemar and the poisons that oozed onto the cobblestone road.

Grell backed away and let his heart slow down, to clean his blades, and to collect himself. Jal Fellis was in town and if he had sent Valdemar then he was waiting for him.

A growl roase from his throat as he dashed through the darkness of the city. Searching for his mark...

**********************************************************************

A knocking noise filled the small hut and a woman rushed to the door. Her eyes were alight with hope and a hint of love. She had not been awake but it was still in the early hours of the morning... before others of the village would even think of stirring.

" Grell?" She called out happily as she tossed open the door, her arms ready to throw around the man behind the door.

" Oh am I not to be expected?" the sing song voice of the vile Valdemar chided, " Or are you waiting to see that loveable lummox who believes that he killed me."

Cleo backed away slowly, " What is going on?" she asked as her eyes searched for a weapon... one that she knew exactly how to hold, use, and kill with. Once she spotted it she edged close to the wall, " Where is Grell??"

Valdemar smiled and brought his claws up to his lips and licked the tips in a manner that even the most perverse man would not find appealing. " He fought me in the city walls... killed me and moved on. Good poise and form... very good fighter... shame that he will not make it to Master." he laughed as dashed up to Cleo, his masked face inches from her own. " Though just in case... I was told to bring you... I don't ask... I just do."

" Mommy." a voice croaked from the bedroom.

Valdemar smiled, " Ooooh... looks like she is awake... should she come to?" He asked as he grabbed her and pulled her towards the bedroom. " Or should I just use these," he flexed his claws, " On her... keep it light... sleek.. .simple."

Cleo shook her head and let go of the short sword she had in her left hand... " No... I will go with you.. just do not touch her."

Valdemar nodded, " Don't worry I won't touch her." He then pulled her to the door and outside... away from the hut, " Though I can't say much for him." he smiled as he pointed to another man walking towards them... wrapped in black cloth, sporting the same long needle like claws like Valdemar.

" Good evening Valdemar." the creature in black bowed and greeted Valdemar.

" Good evening Valdemar." Valdemar laughed and bowed as well as he continued to pull Cleo further from her home. Her eyes transfixed on the creature that was Valdemar. The creature slipping inside the house.

A cry echoed over the village... and then was abruptly cut short...

" Aww... too bad... so sad... so young... so short... of a lif that was." Valdemar laughed and pulled a now sobbing and thrashing Cleo to a hidden entryway just a few hundred yards from the city walls. He liked it when they thrashed... tried to fight back. It made him feel powerful... though it was a fleeting feeling. Though an exciting one.

( To be continued) 


	4. Earth Stays

The Wind Blows.  
Fire burns.  
Water falls.  
Earth stays...

Grell slipped around a corner and felt his heart beat loud in his chest. The guards had found the dead Valdemar and the knocked out drunks by the inner gates. Their footfalls could be heard up and down the cobblestone streets, echoing into the early morning. Soon the sun would be up and the streets would be bustling with a new day. He had to hurry.

Rushing up to Jal Fellis' office he tested the door and found the handle to turn easily but the door not to budge. Groaning that he was going to use Urd for such a terrible purpose he unsheathed the longsword and thrust it into the door... the brought it back... slicing through the wooden plank that kept it secured. Then slowly.. he made his way inside.

The front office had changed from what he remembed, from what was once a small office sparsly furnished with files and a map on the wall was now just a sitting room, laveshly furnished with wooden sitting chairs with plush cushions. The whole room was fragrented with flowers and honey, it made Grell sick.

He walked through the lower levels of this home... which consisted of a kitchen, sitting room, and the waiting room. All of which looked like it was made for a king. Portraits hung on the wallof the sitting room, people stared back at him from the canvas that Grell felt he should remember but for the life of him could not place the faces.

He then began to search for a stairs or a door that led to the next level. His eyes searching... and when not finding it began to pull books from shelves in the sitting room, pull on candlesticks, and finally just flopping down into one of the chairs in the sitting room. " Okay... times like this make me wish I was a rouge." he groaned as he pulled a footstool closer to the chair.

Suddenly a click came from behind him... along one of the paintings. He smiled to himself and muttered, " So it was the foot stool." Standing up he turned and gazed at the figure in the now open hidden passage.

" Miss me lover?" Valdemar laughed as he threw open his arms as asking for a hug. What he recieved was a wide eyed Grell wondering how this corpse had pulled himself back together and made it to Fellis' home before he had. Valdemar could tell this from the look on his face... he had seen it multiple times before. " Just don't think Grell my boy... just come over and get yourself a kiss." he hissed the last words and bared his long needle- like claws.

Grell pulled Mugen out of the sheath hanging from his belt. " I think I get it... your some type of golem right?" he asked the thing that was Valdemar.

Valdemar nodded and reached up... pulling off the mask that covered his face... showing the conditions of the skin underneath. His eyes were nothing but pools of energy. The lips had drawn back from his mouth exposing the rotting gums and equally disgusting teeth... save for two gleaming inch long canines. " Master makes me." He smiled and gnashed his teeth together. " I was human... but something happened." he gazed at his clawed hands, rivlets of poison shone in the light of the room, " And I like being this way... immortal.. and a better killer than I was before!" he laughed and lunged at Grell who parried the blow... droplets of poison splattering his face and clothes.

Behind Valdemar another being stirred, it's own eyes glowing softly in the darkness, " Valdemar remember Master said kill him... not wound him." the voice hissed as it tapped it's long claws against the woodwork on the wall.

Valdemar slashed at Grell and called back, " Do not worry Valdemar... if he takes me like he did before then you can kill him if you want." He cackled like a madman as the Valdemar that was now watching the fight added his own laughter to his other self.

Grell's mind was reeling trying to focuse on the two... then back to the one he was fighting. How many were there? Five? Ten? Fifty? He didn't know how many of the horrors he could fight. This Valdemar had been fighting like he didn't care, which Grell decided he shouldn't have to... if he fell his other self would take over... and so on until they had killed him.

***********************************************************************

Cleo hung from the filthy wall up inside the upper levels of Fellis' home. Her body was limp and her eyes were swollen from the tears that had spilled from them. The monster Valdemar and his master Jal Fellis were standing near her... but far enough away so she could not reach them.

" Now now... Cleo can't we be friends? I have wanted the land for so long." his face was stoic, emotionless. " Can't you just give me your land... I know your husband owned nearly the entire village. If I had yours... then I could just kill the those in the village with a fire."

" Call it an accident... old Mrs. Leary left the lantern in the shed." Valdemar sang in his off key voice, " Cow kicked it over and she winked her eye and said"

" Valdemar!" Fellis barked and the dog was silent. After a few seconds of glaring at his slave he turned back to his captive who was now standing and blinking her eyes. " Ahh good.. I hope that means you heard my proposal."

She nodded, her eyes full of hate. " I will not let the land go... not after that thing did what it did to my daughter!" she spat at Valdemar who just sat quietly, then realized she should of spat at the master.

" You don't think I would kill an innocent child now do you?" he asked grinning like a fox. " I would never do such a thing... Valdemar did you kill the girl?"

Valdemar shook his head, " No sir. Valdemar did as you said.. he passed me and made the girl scream.. .then knocked her out." One could almost hear the disappointment in his voice, " Though he did leave her with a cut, a bruise, and rather nasty lump on the head."

Cleo bit her lip and tasted copper. " So if I do as you ask... you let her live."

Fellis nodded, " Of course... You are a good buisness man. I see that in your eyes." He turned to Valdemar and waved his hand over the creature... who then fell to the ground lifeless. Then ever so carefully reached under the wrappings and pulled out a piece of parchment and sealing wax. " Now if you would just put your seal here... " he then reached into his pocket and pulled out her seal as a land owner, " We can do this all nice and legal."

" Oh yes.. must not forget to follow the laws. Things like kidnapping, blackmail, and murder." She growled as he heated the wax and let a few droplets fall onto the sheet then brought it before her to stamp the cooling wax. She trembled as she did so, then dropped her seal on the ground." There.... happy?"

Fellis nodded and tucked the parchment into his jacket and then waved his hand over the thing that was Valdemar. It immediatlly jumped up into a crouching position and gazed up at it's master.

" She decieded not to cooperate. Go to the village... start the fire." Fellis smiled, " Take a small group of Valdemar. Keep the people in their homes.. no one will survive this night."

Cleo's eyes widened with horror and anger as Valdemar nodded and began to sing again, " Gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight!!!"

*

Grell groaned as his arms were growing weak. The poison was seeping into his body through the many cuts on his body thanks to Valdemar's attacks. The furniture in the room had been overturned, smashed, and rendered into tiny pieces. The other Valdemar had been standing in the doorway watching till a claw grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away.

Relieved that he was not going to have to fight three Valdemar creatures he focused more of his attention on the one in front of him. It showed no sign of slowing, in fact it seemed to be laughing as it thrust and swiped with it's claws. This was something unlike Grell had fought before. Orcs, undead, goblins, all of them didn't hold a candle to this creature.

He brought his right arm back to try to grab Urd, his longsword, but felt Valdemar's claws sink into his flesh. He bit his lip and reached again... this time grabbing the shield.. slamming it into Valdemar's face, knocking him off balance.

Valdemar staggered back and then lept at Grell as he held up the shield again... bashing it into the creature's left hand, breaking the claws. Valdemar howled in pain as he brought Mugen up into the creature's rib cage, feeling it stick into a lump of something thick and hard, probably what was left of the creature's heart or organs.

Valdemar reached down with it's left hand and pulled Mugen from his chest. While he was pulling on the blade Grell reached back and pulled out Urd... lopping off the creatures head. Just as before the creature fell... gore and the poison in it's body slowly oozed out of it's body. However unlike before the head still moved... turned and laughed at Grell.

" Too late... too late... now your gonna miss your date!!" it cackled. Grell lifted Urd up above the head right above the little rune embedded in it's head.

" What do you mean?" he asked the point touching the clay rune.

The head of Valdemar seemed to be loosing itself... as more of it's poison left it. " The lady... she is here... " the voice was changing... slowly... calmer... " Save her... " the creature's face contored... to that of a young man... one Grell had seen only in a drawing sitting in Cleo's home.

" I will." he drove Urd into the head... destroying the rune. " I will sir... I will save your wife." He pulled Urd back and slipped it into the sheath on his back and pulled Mugen from the body. Wiping the gore from the blade and quietly and quickly rushed up the stairs.

There were nine landings and each landing had twelve steps up to each landing. When he reached the top he found only one door... and without thinking he rushed in... fragmenting the door and faced Jal Fellis.

Fellis smiled to Grell. " So how did you like releasing her husband?" he asked as he pushed back the robe showing that he was wearing no armor. " Did he ask for you to save his wife?" His eyes danced with a fire that was black, demonic.

Grell simply nodded.

Fellis stepped aside.

At this point in a tale of adventure and fantasy Cleo would we waiting for Grell... Grell would fight Jal Fellis. Grell would win... then somehow the Valdemar would all cease to be. Grell would become the husband that Cleo wants... the father Faun needs and they would live happily ever after.

It is nice to hope and dream.

Cleo hung like a rag doll... her intestines were strewn on the floor... her body sometimes twitched as she slowly died. Her eyes looked up to Grell and softly... faintly whispered, " Grell....." The body then slumped and the last that was Cleo left this world.

Fellis smiled, " Too bad... you know she lasted longer than others I have used... she was the last... now I will burn the village... in fact." he put his hand to his ear. His face half shrouded in shadow, the sun was rising and the screaming began. " It is starting now.."

Grell could not stop himself. He stormed over to Fellis... feeling flames lick his body. Fellis was using fire himself to burn Grell. However Grell was far beyond this world. He was far beyond pain. He reached out with his right hand... and gripped the man's throat... picked him up and held him.

Fellis twitched and kicked Grell... trying to make him let go... " Grell... " he gasped, " Doing this... " he grabbed at Grell's hand, clawing at it and tore some flesh from his hand. " Won't bring her back..."

Grell's good eye watched the man that had been Jal Fellis, Elder of Dalla, die. And a moment before Jal's eyes turned milky white... when Grell knew the man was a second from death he growled with an energy and hatred that only came from his demonic ancestors, " No... But it will make me feel better."

Grell then dropped the lifeless corpse of Jal Fellis and tooke the body of Cleo down... wrapping her in his traveling cloak... and carried her down to the village... people of the city watching him... wondering what the morning had wroght.

The village was mostly still standing. Many lives were lost to the blaze... however once Jal Fellis had died the many Valdemar fell to the ground like dolls with their strings cut. Still the village would survive... and they would know what the Elder tried to do.

Grell left the city and village of Dalla. He was ordered to leave in three days... but stayed a week to help the village bury the dead and see that Faun, who had survived by a stroke of extreme luck, found a family that would take care of her in the village. The remaining Elders had visited him as he left shivering in the cold of winter, his traveling cloak keeping the body of Cleo warm in her grave and in the afterlife.

" There will be a price on your head, Grell Grainstaff. You have killed an Elder and must be punished." Deola, the leader of the merchant guild and another town elder. " I am sorry... the law is the law."

Grell laughed and shook his head. He then slowly walked down the road, " Yes sirs..... the law is the law." He did not turn back. He promised himself he would never return. He made Faun promise never to find him or search for him. Those he cared for died... that is why he stayed alone...

Such is the life of a Merc. 


End file.
